Daily Archives: November 9, 2011

Katonah Realtor hears US rethinks ‘Christmas tree tax’ that’s not a tax

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US rethinks ‘Christmas tree tax’ that’s not a tax

(AFP) – 1 hour ago 

WASHINGTON — The US Department of Agriculture is taking a second look at a “Christmas tree tax” that’s really not a tax at all, in the face of an uproar triggered by a conservative think tank.

The Heritage Foundation set tongues wagging when it said a levy of 15 cents (11 euro cents) for every fresh Christmas tree harvested in the United States or imported, amounted to a new tax by Barack Obama’s administration.

“The economy is barely growing and nine percent of the American people have no jobs,” blogged David Addington, one of its vice presidents. “Is a new tax on Christmas trees the best President Obama can do?”

In fact, the picayune assessment is meant to bankroll a Christmas Tree Promotion Board to help American tree growers and importers to better compete against artificial Christmas trees imported mainly from China.

“I can tell you unequivocally that the Obama administration is not taxing Christmas trees,” a White House spokesman, Matt Lehrich, told AFP in an email on Wednesday.

“What’s being talked about here is an industry group deciding to impose fees on itself to fund a promotional campaign, similar to how the dairy producers have created the “Got Milk?” campaign,” he said.

“That said, the US Department of Agriculture is going to delay implementation and revisit this action.”

Under federal law, the department approves and oversees programs set up by various agricultural sectors — such as dairy, beef and pork farmers — to encourage consumers to buy their produce.

Unimpressed by the brouhaha was the National Christmas Tree Association, based in Chesterfield, Missouri, whose spokesman Rick Dungey called the notion of a Christmas tree tax “a completely false representation.”

“To the people describing it that way: shame on you,” he told AFP by telephone.

In a statement, the association — which represents nearly 5,000 tree farmers and retailers — said the assessment was not expected to impact on the price consumers pay for their Christmas trees.

A full-size, deluxe fresh Fraser fir typically costs 75 dollars, according to the Windblown Tree Plantation of Honey Creek, Wisconsin, which sells its trees online.

Copyright © 2011 AFP. All rights reserved. More »

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Mortgage Protection Insurance – What It Is And Why You Need It | Pound Ridge NY Homes

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Buying a new home is exciting and scary at the same time. It is a big responsibility. By considering ways to protect your investment, you will have peace of mind in knowing that your home is protected. Mortgage protection insurance is a perfect way to protect your home in the event something drastic happens to you. Your loved ones will know that the home will be paid off and not be lost through foreclosure.

You can purchase your own mortgage protection insurance at a lower cost than you might think. You can also purchase disability mortgage protection. This pays you a cash value if you become disabled and cannot work. Let’s take a look at some of the guidelines that will be examined:

  • Age of the Mortgage holder. As with any insurance, your age is a big factor in the amount of premiums.
  • Gender of the Mortgage holder.
  • Health of the Mortgage holder
  • Length of Mortgage
  • Total amount of Mortgage

All of these things will be considered. It is important to note that mortgage protection will not pay off the value of your home. It pays off the amount you still owe on the home.

A simple way to understand mortgage protection is to understand that the amount decreases and the mortgage decreases. The premiums decrease as well. Let’s say you have purchased mortgage protection for what you owe. This amount is $150,000 and you have 15 years to pay that amount off. Your first few years of payments will be higher than the last few years. So that when the home is paid off, the insurance policy, in effect, stops. That is not to say that you can’t continue paying for insurance protection, it will just be rolled over into a different kind of policy like a homeowners policy.

Visit with your lender, an insurance agent or a real estate agent to research all of your options. Talk to several, as insurance rates will vary from agency to agency. You need to make sure you have the best possible rate and that means getting several quotes.

Real estate is a sound investment, but good investments still have to be protected. It is a sound business decision to make sure all of your bases are covered. You just never know what the future may hold.

Related posts:

  1. PMI: Private Mortgage Insurance
  2. Understanding Title Insurance, Appraisal and Homeowner’s Insurance
  3. Home Insurance Policies
  4. Home Owners Insurance
  5. Save Money on Title Insurance
via realestatebriefings.com